Stan Heffner, speaks to the students and teachers at Reading High School during an all school assembly in October 2011 where teacher Brian Page was awarded the Milken Educator Award and $25,000.

Ohio's top education leader announced his resignation Saturday, just two days after facing accusations of misconduct and ethics violations in office.

Schools Superintendent Stan Heffner released a statement saying school reform efforts in the state could have been side-tracked if he had remained on the job.

A report issued Thursday by state Inspector General Randall Meyer found that Heffner was on the payroll of a Texas-based testing firm when he lobbied state lawmakers in May 2011 last year on a bill that benefited the company.

Meyer's investigation found that Heffner misused his state email and cellular phone to communicate with the testing firm. It also found he assigned the executive secretary in his office at the Ohio Department of Education to schedule travel related to the job and to handle paperwork related to the sale of his Ohio home and purchase of a replacement in Texas.

Heffner ultimately didn't take the job with Educational Testing Service because he was selected as Ohio's state superintendent.

The inspector general's office made its investigation along with the Ohio Ethics Commission. The inspector general did not make a criminal referral, but recommended that the State Board of Education consider administrative action. Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said Friday that his office would review the allegations against Heffner to determine whether criminal charges should be filed.

"Much needed components underway in Ohio's schools are too important to let anything get in their way," wrote Heffner in his resignation later. "Because I don't want opponents of reform to be able to twist mistakes I've made into roadblocks to Ohio's reform efforts, I'm stepping aside to deny them even the chance of doing that."

Michael Sawyers, the state's deputy schools superintendent, will become acting superintendent on Friday until the State Board of Education names a replacement for Heffner.

Heffner steps down at a time when the state Auditor's office is examining three districts, including Lockland, for manipulating attendance data to make their test scores look better. The other two schools are Columbus and Toledo.

Auditor Dave Yost has said while there is no evidence the education department was involved in the attendance scheme "but the apparently widespread nature of the practice begs the question of at least a lack of oversight."

In a statement issued Saturday afternoon, Heffner said "I've loved working with my friends and colleagues at the Department. I think they're some of the smartest, hardest-working and compassionate people I've ever met.

"I wish them every success in following through with the improvements we've set in motion to help all of Ohio's kids. In my 38 years in this profession, I've always put the best interests of students ahead of the desires of adults and the complacency of institutions, and that includes me."

Gov. John Kasich referred to the resignation as a "retirement" in a statement, but called the decision "the right one."

"His mistakes in judgment were unfortunate, but I respect him for always putting Ohio's students above everything else, including his own interests," Kasich said.

Ohio Democratic Party chairman Chris Redfern said it was insulting that taxpayers would be paying Heffner almost 10 days following release of the inspector general's report.

Kasich "continues to act as if the allegations of theft in office, pay to play, and perjury are no big deal," Redfern said in a statement. "Instead of permitting Heffner to pick his own day of departure, Gov. Kasich should finally show some leadership by calling for a criminal investigation, firing Heffner, and prohibiting him from collecting another $4,500 from Ohio taxpayers."

Ohio School Board President Debe Terhar, who lives in Hamilton County's Green Township, told the Enquirer "I'm very saddened by" the resignation. She described Heffner as a "education visionary."

In a released statement, Terhar said of Heffner: "Because he is so focused on children and their best interest, he is stepping aside so that those who might use him to resist needed change in Ohio education policy will be unable to deter continuing progress. I support his decision and believe that it was made in the best interest of Ohio's children. I wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors."

State School Board member Jeff Hardin, who represents Clermont County and about a dozen other southern and central Ohio counties, said he also was "saddened" by Heffner's leaving.

"He was a fine professional and the students of Ohio are losing out," said Hardin.

"If there were any politics involved in this, it wasn't from the conservative side of the aisle," he said, adding "we will start on a search process immediately and probably name an interim superintendent."

Heffner had been the state's associate superintendent of curriculum and assessment when he was named in April 2011 as interim superintendent. He was quickly named to the top job.

He was recommended for the role two weeks after former Superintendent Deborah Delisle announced her resignation. Delisle was an appointee of Democratic governor Ted Strickland, who lost the 2010 election to Kasich. She stepped down after she had been told by Kasich's staff that the board would vote to replace her if she did not leave.

Heffner joined the Ohio Department of Education as an associate superintendent in 2004. His work in Ohio since the mid-1980s includes 15 years as superintendent of the Madison school district in Lake County. Heffner previously had worked in education in South Dakota, where he became the state's youngest high school principal.

Heffner's stint as Ohio superintendent saw a major change in third-grade reading requirements starting in 2013-2014 school year.

State school reform pushed by Kasich will require third-graders scoring poorly on reading tests will require them to repeat the school year if they don't do well enough on the test despite two years of reading intervention.